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Why the top clubs' first port of call for young talent is one tiny European country
By Dominic King
PUBLISHED: 16:45 EST, 21 August 2012 | UPDATED: 18:13 EST, 21 August 2012
Sir Alex Ferguson was trying to explain Manchester United's frustrating start to the season when Marouane Fellaini's name cropped up in his post-game debrief.
'He is a handful,' Ferguson remarked. 'He is a big, tall, gangly lad. Everton just lumped the ball forward to him. That's all they did. They worked from that base all the time and they got their goal, so it was justified.'
The clearest sign of how effective an opposition player has been against United is that Ferguson makes barbed comments, and the fact that he referred to Fellaini on Monday in less than sophisticated terms provided final confirmation: Everton's powerhouse had got under his skin.
Belgian Invasion: Marouane Fellani scored the winning goal for Everton against Manchester United on Monday night
And another one: Kevin Mirallas is the most recent Belgian to travel to British shores after he signed for Everton on Tuesday
Bursting with muscular aggression and brimming with talent, Fellaini's development into one of the Barclays Premier League's most influential midfielders mirrors the rise of his nation's footballing prowess.
Belgians are popping up all over this country and the English top flight is all the richer for their presence.
From Vincent Kompany, who led Manchester City with such distinction on their march to the title last season, to Arsenal club captain Thomas Vermaelen and Chelsea's £32million man Eden Hazard, the secret that Belgium have produced an outstanding generation of footballers is well and truly out. 'I don't know what it is,' said Everton's Kevin Mirallas, the latest Belgian to arrive on these shores.
'We just have an excellent crop of players. We are all a similar age and we are all choosing to come and play in the Premier League.
'It is good that we are all here. We are playing together or against each other, so that will be a positive thing for the national team.
Romelu Lukaku, on loan to West Bromwich Albion from Chelsea, scored his team's third goal against Liverpool on Saturday
Chelsea's new signing Eden Hazard had a hand in both his team's goals at Wigan on Sunday
'It is a coincidence - a happy coincidence - that so many of us are playing here at the same time.'
Belgium once had a fine tradition - they were runners-up in the 1980 European Championship and reached the 1986 World Cup semi-final, when they were beaten by a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina - but performances since have not been quite so impressive.
Their last appearance at the European Championship was in 2000, when they were co-hosts with Holland, and they have not been to a World Cup since exiting in the second round in 2002, which led to the Belgium Football Association taking action.
A project was started that meant national team coaches could not run sides if they did not have coaching degrees, and the total football influence of their neighbours Holland means Belgium's national sides all play a 4-3-3 system.
Vincent Kompany was very impressive in Manchester City's title-winning season
Thomas Vermaelen was named Arsenal's new captain following the departure of Robin van Persie
Scouts, unsurprisingly, are now making Belgium one of their first ports of call and already they are monitoring Dennis Praet, an 18-year-old striker from Anderlecht, and Genk's 16-year-old forward Siebe Schrijvers.
It is no accident, then, that Belgian talent is crossing the Channel. With the standard of academies in Belgium leaving something to be desired, many of the players who have broken through now left the country to aid their development.
Hazard flourished in France at Lille's academy, as did Mirallas; Vermaelen and Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen developed in Holland at Ajax.
A wider audience may have been alerted to Fellaini's talents after he bullied United into submission on Monday but Everton regulars will tell you he has been performing to such levels for the past year, most notably when dominating a spectacular game at Old Trafford which ended 4-4 in April.
His statistics from last season merely add weight to how much of an influence he has been. No Everton player covered more distance than the 209.63 kilometres Fellaini pounded between August and May.
No Everton player completed more passes (821) or made more tackles (87).
Coming hot on the heels of Hazard's illuminating display against Wigan at the DW Stadium, the old cliched dinner party question about 'name a famous Belgian' has quickly been replaced by 'how many Belgians playing in thje Premier League can you name?'
Tottenham signed centre-back Jan Vertonghen from Ajax during the summer
Simon Mignolet, Sunderland's goalkeeper, kept a clean sheet at the Emirates on Saturday; Romelu Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, scored on his West Bromwich Albion debut against Liverpool and now the focus will be on Mirallas to see if he can uphold the form.
Like his compatriots, he has arrived with a fine pedigree - he was the top scorer in Greece last season with Olympiakos and Player of the Year - and Mirallas, 24, turned down Champions League football to link up with Fellaini again.
'It wasn't just Arsenal who were after me,' said Mirallas. 'There were other clubs too. Discussions were fairly well down the line with them.
Porto were interested and so were one or two other English clubs. 'But, after speaking to my agent, we knew we had made the right choice.
'I was aware that Everton had been following my progress. I'm very much a family person, so when I make a decision, I do it with my partner and my parents as well.
'After I spoke with David Moyes and Marouane, we realised this is a family club. To progress as an individual and to flourish in that family environment was something that attracted me. I am convinced, definitely, we have made the right choice.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz24HeDN7fm
By Dominic King
PUBLISHED: 16:45 EST, 21 August 2012 | UPDATED: 18:13 EST, 21 August 2012
Sir Alex Ferguson was trying to explain Manchester United's frustrating start to the season when Marouane Fellaini's name cropped up in his post-game debrief.
'He is a handful,' Ferguson remarked. 'He is a big, tall, gangly lad. Everton just lumped the ball forward to him. That's all they did. They worked from that base all the time and they got their goal, so it was justified.'
The clearest sign of how effective an opposition player has been against United is that Ferguson makes barbed comments, and the fact that he referred to Fellaini on Monday in less than sophisticated terms provided final confirmation: Everton's powerhouse had got under his skin.
Belgian Invasion: Marouane Fellani scored the winning goal for Everton against Manchester United on Monday night And another one: Kevin Mirallas is the most recent Belgian to travel to British shores after he signed for Everton on Tuesday Bursting with muscular aggression and brimming with talent, Fellaini's development into one of the Barclays Premier League's most influential midfielders mirrors the rise of his nation's footballing prowess.
Belgians are popping up all over this country and the English top flight is all the richer for their presence.
From Vincent Kompany, who led Manchester City with such distinction on their march to the title last season, to Arsenal club captain Thomas Vermaelen and Chelsea's £32million man Eden Hazard, the secret that Belgium have produced an outstanding generation of footballers is well and truly out. 'I don't know what it is,' said Everton's Kevin Mirallas, the latest Belgian to arrive on these shores.
'We just have an excellent crop of players. We are all a similar age and we are all choosing to come and play in the Premier League.
'It is good that we are all here. We are playing together or against each other, so that will be a positive thing for the national team.
Romelu Lukaku, on loan to West Bromwich Albion from Chelsea, scored his team's third goal against Liverpool on Saturday Chelsea's new signing Eden Hazard had a hand in both his team's goals at Wigan on Sunday'It is a coincidence - a happy coincidence - that so many of us are playing here at the same time.'
Belgium once had a fine tradition - they were runners-up in the 1980 European Championship and reached the 1986 World Cup semi-final, when they were beaten by a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina - but performances since have not been quite so impressive.
Their last appearance at the European Championship was in 2000, when they were co-hosts with Holland, and they have not been to a World Cup since exiting in the second round in 2002, which led to the Belgium Football Association taking action.
A project was started that meant national team coaches could not run sides if they did not have coaching degrees, and the total football influence of their neighbours Holland means Belgium's national sides all play a 4-3-3 system.
Vincent Kompany was very impressive in Manchester City's title-winning season Thomas Vermaelen was named Arsenal's new captain following the departure of Robin van PersieScouts, unsurprisingly, are now making Belgium one of their first ports of call and already they are monitoring Dennis Praet, an 18-year-old striker from Anderlecht, and Genk's 16-year-old forward Siebe Schrijvers.
It is no accident, then, that Belgian talent is crossing the Channel. With the standard of academies in Belgium leaving something to be desired, many of the players who have broken through now left the country to aid their development.
Hazard flourished in France at Lille's academy, as did Mirallas; Vermaelen and Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen developed in Holland at Ajax.
A wider audience may have been alerted to Fellaini's talents after he bullied United into submission on Monday but Everton regulars will tell you he has been performing to such levels for the past year, most notably when dominating a spectacular game at Old Trafford which ended 4-4 in April.
His statistics from last season merely add weight to how much of an influence he has been. No Everton player covered more distance than the 209.63 kilometres Fellaini pounded between August and May.
No Everton player completed more passes (821) or made more tackles (87).
Coming hot on the heels of Hazard's illuminating display against Wigan at the DW Stadium, the old cliched dinner party question about 'name a famous Belgian' has quickly been replaced by 'how many Belgians playing in thje Premier League can you name?'
Tottenham signed centre-back Jan Vertonghen from Ajax during the summerSimon Mignolet, Sunderland's goalkeeper, kept a clean sheet at the Emirates on Saturday; Romelu Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, scored on his West Bromwich Albion debut against Liverpool and now the focus will be on Mirallas to see if he can uphold the form.
Like his compatriots, he has arrived with a fine pedigree - he was the top scorer in Greece last season with Olympiakos and Player of the Year - and Mirallas, 24, turned down Champions League football to link up with Fellaini again.
'It wasn't just Arsenal who were after me,' said Mirallas. 'There were other clubs too. Discussions were fairly well down the line with them.
Porto were interested and so were one or two other English clubs. 'But, after speaking to my agent, we knew we had made the right choice.
'I was aware that Everton had been following my progress. I'm very much a family person, so when I make a decision, I do it with my partner and my parents as well.
'After I spoke with David Moyes and Marouane, we realised this is a family club. To progress as an individual and to flourish in that family environment was something that attracted me. I am convinced, definitely, we have made the right choice.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz24HeDN7fm
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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